Dyed
by The Truthful Liar
Summary: Just as how Soul Society/heaven had Shinigami/death reapers, Yomi/hell had Reiyoukai/soul demons. The first Reiyoukai spotted in centuries just happened to be rather hostile. /-/ Gratuitous Japanese / Minor romance / BLEACH X NARUTO /-/ EITHER DISCONTINUED OR ON AN ULTRA LONG HIATUS
1. CHP 0: Prologue

**Title:** Dyed  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre:** Crossover / Adventure / Action / Friendship / Humor / Fantasy / Supernatural / Family  
**Main Characters:** Haruno Sakura, Hitsugaya Toushirou [Kuchiki Rukia, Matsumoto Rangiku, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, Senju Tsunade, Hyuuga Hinata, etc]  
**Warning:** …some crack. But whatever, the humor parts of Bleach is mainly crack.  
**Story Summary:** Just as how Soul Society ('heaven') had Shinigami ('death reapers'), Yomi ('hell') had Reiyoukai ('soul demons'). Juubantai-taichou Hitsugaya Toushirou just happened to encounter one of them, Haruno Sakura. [HitsuSaku ToushiSaku | BLEACH X NARUTO | Shinigami | Inner Zanpakutou]

(P.S. I don't own Naruto or Bleach. I'm not that rich, suckers.)

**P** _R_ _O_ _L_ _O_ _G_ _U_ _E  
you are Shinigami. I am Reiyoukai._

-**x**-

"_Because, everything is connected.  
In the end…everything returns to the beginning."_

-**x**-

She hated her job. It consisted of waiting and waiting and humans and waiting.

She also hated Hollows, Humans, Pluses and practically every kind of spiritual being. Humans were annoying, trapped on earth with their short-lived dreams, piteous troubles and unrealistic desires. They dwell on the past and negative things, eventually turning from defenseless, powerless Pluses to mindless, pathetic Hollows. She also didn't like Shinigami. They had inflated egos and overrated sense of justice. Or what they thought was justice, anyway.

They all sickened her.

And really, Humans were boring beyond belief. Uninteresting. _Normal_.

She would rather bail on this job, but that would only end up with her ass getting served to her on a silver, rusty platter by her mentor. She vaguely remembered being thrust through three trees and into a foot-thick stone wall when she was human, but it was more like a memory of a dream rather than a real memory.

Strapping her metallic red double-bladed scythe diagonally across her back, she made her way to the River of the Dead.

She had quite a few souls to reap today.

-**x**-


	2. CHP 1: Of Hell & Its Demons

**Title:** Dyed  
**Rating:** T  
**Genre:** Crossover / Adventure / Action / Friendship / Humor / Fantasy / Supernatural / Family  
**Main Characters:** Haruno Sakura, Hitsugaya Toushirou [Kuchiki Rukia, Matsumoto Rangiku, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, Senju Tsunade, Hyuuga Hinata, etc]  
**Warning:** I should mention that every NARUTO character are OOC. That's what three hundred years of living do to your head.  
**Story Summary:** Just as how Soul Society ('heaven') had Shinigami ('death reapers'), Yomi ('hell') had Reiyoukai ('soul demons'). Juubantai-taichou Hitsugaya Toushirou just happened to encounter one of them, Haruno Sakura. [HitsuSaku ToushiSaku | BLEACH X NARUTO | Shinigami | Inner Zanpakutou]  
**Chapter Summary:** "The Hollows are our responsibility. _Your_ responsibility as Shinigami is to take care of normal spirits."

(P.S. I don't own. Anything. Uh. Except the plot and Hell setting. Expect a lot of OOCness. It's natural, okay?)

**O** _F_ **H** _E L_ _L_ & **I**_ T_ _S_ **D** _E_ _M_ _O_ _N_ _S  
you are Shinigami. I am Reiyoukai._

-**x**-

_"Because, everything is connected.  
In the end…everything returns to the beginning."_

-**x**-

_Mortal World – Japan – Karakura Town – Street 27_

A fork-tailed black cat stares up at the night sky with glowing red eyes, waiting for what was inevitable.

It sat under near a house hearing two women gushing over food. Odd food. Food that the cat only could imagined at being a blob of _nothingness_. The cat cannot decide if it was disturbing, bizarre, or amusing. Maybe all three.

The nekomata waved its forked tail in the air as it glanced at the direction where a boy with bleach white hair was sitting on the pointed roof of the house. He seemed to have noticed the odd, terrifyingly strong reiatsu approaching.

It watched as he swallowed a candy that it knew Shinigami invented and called 'Soul Candy'. He was forced out of the Gigai he was in, replaced by a soft-spoken modified soul.

The feline creature merely watched with mild interest as two Arrancar appeared. After all, just jumping out and reaping those two Hollows would be boring.

It was quite a while since it - _she_ - had any form of entertainment.

-**x**-

He froze, quickly blocking the sword which would've slice at his side had he not block it.

"Arrancar Eleven, Shawlong Kuufang desu."

"Juubantai-taichou, Hitsugaya Toushirou."

Toushirou forced the Arrancar's sword away, jumping off the rooftop and gliding to another. It would do no good for him and his lieutenant to fight against two Arrancar in the same area. There would not be enough room to move around if he had not done so, as both of their Zanpakutou were long-ranged types.

"Juubantai-taichou… My, my, how wonderful." Shawlong smiled at this. "It looks like I hit the jackpot."

"Iya…"

The smile disappeared as said captain becomes engulf in a burst of his own reiatsu.

"…you're probably the biggest loser of all."

-**x**-

The cat watches as 'the captain of the eleventh division' and 'Arrancar eleven' exchanged blows. It turned its attention to the other two who were fighting, 'the lieutenant of the eleventh division' and 'the fatass Arrancar', as it had dubbed them.

The feline creature sighed loudly in annoyance, though no one seemed to have heard it. That boy, whatshisname Toushirou had unleashed his Bankai, but wasn't doing any damage to the Arrancar. It had gone bad to worse when said Arrancar released his true form.

This was stupid. Did he really need to unseal his Genteikaichou to defeat him?

The cat morphs into a young rosette girl as it walked, extending a metallic red-silver double-bladed scythe. It glinted menacingly under the moonlight.

And then, she disappeared, reappearing before the Arrancar in a blur.

"Hello." She bared a fanged grin, apparently amused at the wide-eyed shocked look on the Arrancar's face. "And goodbye."

With that, she swiped her scythe across his neck, as though beheading him.

The helmet-like bone mask shattered.

-**x**-

Toushirou did not really understand what just happened. As he asked the Arrancar about his number, he was answered with an explanation about the Espada. He got an even bigger shock when he saw a petite short girl, about his age and height in physical appearance and donning pink hair and green eyes, appeared out of nowhere.

The girl's carnation-colored hair was tied in a high, messy ponytail with a red ribbon. She was wearing a black kimono with ripped edges at the sleeves, and the skirt-like bottom half reached the knees and also had ragged, ripped ends that flared out a bit. Underneath the kimono was a blood red shitagi. Around her waist was a dark blood red long ribbon, tied in a dainty yet messy bow at the back with long flowing ends. She wore black, knee-high toeless combat boots and black gloves. Strapped to her right boot was some sort of holder which held a sword that appeared to be a Zanpakutou. The scabbard was reflective and mirror-like, with a red-tinted metal multi-petaled flower as the crossguard, while the hilt of the sword was covered in black and dark blood red bandages, its ends long and flowing. The girl also wore a black choker around her neck. Diagonally across her back, from her right shoulder to left hip, was a metal thin wire that he assumed was used to strap the double-edged scythe on her back. The scythe was odd though, with metallic red blade, as though it was freshly bloodstained. It had no grips that were usually seen in traditional scythes, and had a snaith which was pure silver.

The girl had swung the scythe, handling the supposedly heavy weapon with relative ease. Blood was hardly a nice sight, especially if it was a little, harmless-looking girl who happened to be the cause of it, but it wasn't what had spilled when she swiped the blade across the neck of the Arrancar. He wasn't even beheaded. His eyes had become hollow, his mask shattered, and then he disappeared into the endlessly black portal that suddenly and briefly opened beneath him.

The rosette scoffed, leaning the snaith against her shoulder blade. "See ya in hell, dipshit."

"Who are you?" Toushirou found the words slipping out his mouth before he knew what he was saying.

She turned her body at the waist, giving him a sideward glance, "Huh?" The girl then turned her nose up at him, saying in an almost queenly tone, "And why should I tell you, Shinigami?"

He frowned. Not because at her arrogant words, but because of how she had approached without even him realizing, and how she had easily token care of the Arrancar that had even gave _him_, a captain, trouble.

"Anyways, just keep in mind that taking care of these Hollows, Arrancar or not, is _our_ job. Shinigami _suck_ at taking care of Hollows."

Toushirou narrowed his eyes, trying to recall the details of an almost-myth which was told to all captains and vice-captains as soon as they gotten their position. He heard of _them_ before, the race of a particular type of spiritual beings who reaped spirits, particularly Hollows, and brought them to Hell. They almost never appeared in front of Shinigami or any other being, due to the fact they were visible to humans unlike death reapers. So why now? "Omae wa…Reiyoukai?"

She grinned, and that was when he noticed she had fangs, like a demon that she was. "Bingo~oo!" She said in an almost childlike voice. Then, she glanced at the other Arrancar who was at the scene. In a swish of dull red smoke, she disappeared and reappeared before him, doing the same to him as she did with the first Arrancar. A sound of surprise and fear erupted from him before she swiped her scythe across his neck. Like his companion, he disappeared through the pathway to the underworld.

"Eh," She muttered as she swung her scythe off her shoulder and strapped it back onto her back, not even giving a glance at the Juubantai-fukutaichou Matsumoto Rangiku. She took a piece of paper and a pen from between the folds of her kimono and shitagi, marking off the names, Shawlong Kuufang and Greendina Nakeem off the list. The girl tapped it with her ballpoint pen, humming a little. The two whom she just reaped as well as one called Yylfordt Granz were off the list, and there was only two left. Reaping D-Roy Linker wouldn't be wise, because she would certainly encounter Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez if she did, and it wasn't time for _him_ to join hell yet. Reaping souls who weren't assigned to her would end up in her getting punished; it was against protocol (not that she cared about it).

So, there was one left on the list.

"Next up…Edrad Liones, eh? Tch, weird name…" She muttered as she sauntered away and disappeared as quickly as she had come.

-**x**-

_Mortal World – Japan – Karakura Town – Karakura High School_

He _really_ did not get it.

The day after that whole Arrancar fiasco, at school, Toushirou had asked the others if they faced an Arrancar named 'Edrad Liones'. Ikkaku (and Yumichika) was the only one who recognized that name, saying that 'some crazy kid had came out of nowhere and intervened in the fight'. Toushirou had went on and explained that he, Matsumoto, and Abarai encountered the same girl, and also said that she was a Reiyoukai, a soul phantom (or soul demon) who reaped Hollows, Pluses and humans who would end up in Hell.

"Eh? Reiyoukai?" Ichigo's look of surprise disappeared as he frowned in confusion. "I never heard of them before."

Yumichika scowled. "Neither have I."

"That's because only those of captain or lieutenant rank are told about them." Rangiku explained. "They supposedly have the ability to cast illusions so as to wander about unseen. They have been taught this ability because unlike normal souls or Shinigami, their reiryoku had an unusual construction and they were visible to humans."

"This is odd, though." Toushirou muttered. "Reiyoukai don't usually appear before other beings, whether Shinigami or Hollow."

"So this Arrancar thing is really that serious?" Ichigo asks, narrowing his eyes.

"It would appear so."

-**x**-

_Yomi (Hell) – Sanzunokawa (River of the Dead) – Southeastern Side of the River_

She kept a blank look on her face as she boarded the boat to Sanzunokawa.

"Ah, Nanakyouku-shirei Haruno Sakura-san… Have you just come back from your mission?"

It was all idle chatter, she knew.

"Hai, ossan." Sakura uncaringly replies the ferryman of the river, as she sat in a lazy position on the curve of the boat, glancing around the river. The sight of the floating bones and skeletons and bloodstained water was so familiar she was not at all perturbed by it. Most Reiyoukai like herself would even consider the sight calming, except for some weirdoes she knew who never carried a real scythe around because it was too 'tacky'.

As she alighted and reached the other side of the river, she paid the ferrymen a bronze coin, walking down the pathway which eventually led to the place she knew as Akumakai (she never knew why it was named that, just that it was a play on the words Akuma and Makai, Demon and Hell. It was fitting, in a way.). It was the place where her kind lived and worked, so to say.

And the First Department Barracks was where everyone picked up their paycheck from the Vice-Commander of Ichikyouku, Ritsuka Shizune.

"My paycheck, please." Sakura stated in a deadpan, referring to the dark-haired, navy yutaka-clad woman behind the counter as she entered the office.

Shizune sighs at this, fiddling with the computer to check the list of the register of soul in hell, one eye on said list and another on the list which had Sakura's targets (which the rosette shoved it in the older woman's face right as she came in). Then, she looks up, raising a brow, "You missed one."

"Right. D-Roy Linker, an Arrancar." Sakura shrugs apathetically. "C'mon, if I had reaped him, than that other Arrancar whatshisname, Grimmjow would have come and attack me instead of the Substitute Shinigami. It isn't that Hollow's time to come here yet, ya know? Missing a target who will die anyway is _not_ worse than actually reaping a soul I'm not assigned to."

She got her pay anyway. It was deducted though, but Sakura didn't really see any reasonable excuse for it. She didn't care either ways, because it's not like she actually _used_ the money for anything other than daily necessities. She wasn't like Gokyouku-fukushirei Yamanaka Ino who often ditched her scythe in favor of casual clothes and skipped out on her job to indulge in Earthly pleasures (that blonde was a total shopping maniac).

Sakura rolled her eyes, still slightly annoyed at her deducted paycheck. She became a Reiyoukai for this measly mundane daily cycle? Well, better than staying in the hellhole with the other souls in the underworld.

After all, Yomi wasn't the happy little place Soul Society was. There was no such thing as Rukongai or Seireitei here. There was no name for the place which the normal souls of the underworld lived and rot. Sakura personally liked calling it the Hellfire or Gouka, as did some of her fellow Department Commanders, because it almost felt like being lit on fire in there. Almost. That was not to say that their flesh burned in there though, it just _felt_ like it, because none of them had a physical body to speak of in the first place, so there was no 'flesh', just the soul.

On the other hand, the place which the barracks of the twelve departments of Yomi was situated at was called Akumakai. Regular Reiyoukai around here carried the usual scythe, though some of the commanders thought it was too heavy or 'tacky' to carry around all the time. For example, Nikyouku-shirei Rock Lee did not use it at all, while his vice-commander Kyougu Tenten kept it sealed in a scroll little scroll she hid up in the sleeve of her hooded jacket. Many Reiyoukai also kept their scythes in scrolls, but that was only because they did not possess the strength Sakura had made herself famous for. Most of the Reiyoukai only carried their scythe around when they have assignments to reap souls, though. Otherwise, they would not carry it around.

The rest of the day was routine. Dropping off her scythe at her house (it could hardly be called a 'home'), getting annoyed by Uzumaki Naruto (she still can't believe he managed to become the commander of the ninth department), annoying Uchiha Sasuke (it was fun provoking him) and his older brother Uchiha Itachi (or Weasel-chan, as she liked to call him), sparring with a couple of the other commanders and vice-commanders, and then there was a meeting between the top commanders so they got their assignments for the next day, and then pretty much everyone went to relax in the magma sauna or hot springs.

"So, you know, I get to reap a couple of souls at bomb explosion near a movie theater in the Mortal World tomorrow. Something about terrorists."

Sakura raised her brow at Tenten. The other girl usually wore her hair in messy half twin-buns, but it wasn't an uncommon sight for her to let her hair down in the sauna.

"Really?" Ino snorts. "I get to reap souls at a freaking hospital. Probably some wicked old people kicking the bucket."

Sabaku Temari, Sankyouku-shirei (AKA third department commander) laughs boisterously. "Hah, sucks for you! I'm assigned to some place at a forest fire. Turns out there's some field trip for some kiddies there."

Hyuuga Hinata, the Rokukyouku-shirei, looked vastly unimpressed. "Who goes on a field trip at a place known for forest fires?"

Sakura rolls her eyes. "Especially since there's something called global warming happenin' 'round Earth."

The sandy-blonde teenager laughs again. "That's why it's so amusing!"

Hinata's second-in-command, Yuuhi Kurenai, shakes her head in a disapproving manner as she looks at them with crimson eyes. "Why are you all talking about deaths of people like it's some one dollar McDonalds meal?"

Tenten blinked. "'Cause it is?"

The brunette Yonkyouku-fukushirei stared uncomprehendingly. Kimino Rin sighed. "I can't believe you all." She paused, and thought for a moment. "Though it is somewhat foolish."

Kurenai looked at the other woman as though she had been betrayed. "Why the hell are you agreeing with them?"

Sakura rolls her eyes again. "Because it's true. I mean, honestly. Who goes and have a little trip of rainbows and unicorns in an area which is known to have bush fires? That's utterly stupid."

Ino shrugged. "Yeah. It kinda is stupid."

"Stupider than Ino's taste in man." Tenten agrees.

"HEY!"

Temari and Tenten laughed, before looking at Sakura.

"So what did you get?"

The rosette stared at the sandy-blonde teenager, before shrugging. "I didn't get humans like you guys did, because ya know, that's kinda uncommon. I got Hollows again for tomorrow."

Kurenai seem vaguely annoyed. "Why do you get Hollows all the time?"

Ino crossed her arms. "So not fair."

"Sakura-san," Hinata politely addressed. "Did you not reap a few Arrancar today?"

Said girl snorts, rolling her viridian eyes. "Weren't even entertaining! One sweep across their puny necks and they're gone. Slow as hell!"

"You only say that because you trained alongside Lee and Sasuke." Tenten pointed out with a disinterested tone. "Other than Kiraabii-san and Itachi-san, they're the fastest around here."

"Whatever," The rosette waved her hand dismissively. "They weren't even a challenge, either ways."

"Hm," Hinata hums, delicately raising her brows. "I was assigned to a group of Hollows in the same area today. Were there not any Shinigami situated at that area at that time?"

"Them?" Sakura scoffs. "You know as well as I that they are sloppier when it comes to Hollows. Other than their Zanpakutou, it's not like they own Reaper's Scythes or anything. So, you could imagine, they were even sloppier at handling those Arrancar."

Sakura paused mid-rant. Oh yeah. Tsunade-shishou had demanded an in-depth report about her encounter with the Arrancar and Shinigami. Right. The rosette sulked. She really hated reports, whether she was the one reading (it was _sooo_ boring) or writing (she once slept by the desk after writing out four sentences). And usually, 'in-depth' meant Tsunade wanted ones which were three to five pages long or something. What was this, school? Because frankly, whenever she was ordered to write reports, that word always translated to 'freakishly-long English essays about the paradise that is hell and its workings'. Or something along those lines.

"I see…" Hinata murmured softly, staring at the opposite wall with pale, pearl-like eyes. After sorting out her thoughts, she slid those same eyes back to the rosette sitting at the other end of the room. "But, according to their spiritual signals, I would say they are at least not among regular Shinigami. Are they of high ranks?"

Sakura stared, the look that said 'you did _not_ just say that' which many gave to either Hinata or her cousin. "Hey. Nata-hime. This is suppose to be relaxation time. Stop being such a workaholic and chill for a sec, will you?"

The Hyuuga girl seemed to blush, though whether it was from embarrassment or the heat of the steam in the room, Sakura did not know or care. She had a feeling it was the former, though. It was just so like her. One moment, she'd be all professional, business-like and serious, yet peaceful and calm. But when you said the right (or wrong) thing, she would be reduced to a little five-year-old school girl–

"My apologies."

–who have a very formal manner of speaking and spoke as though she was a wise old sage or something.

"Whatever…" Sakura rolled her eyes dismissively. "I'll tell you anyways. There was this boy. Shorter than me by two centimeters, crazy bleach white hair, pretty little teal eyes which are _so_ prettier than a girl's, frosty demeanor and ice-type Zanpakutou called Hyourinmaru. Said that he was the captain of the tenth division of Gotei Juusantai, that Midget."

Some of the females sweat-dropped or deadpanned at her. While Sakura was good at observation and could describe well, she would always add in unorthodox comments and wave her arms wildly as she describe one's features. Shizune had once mentioned that Tsunade would always look like she was either about to laugh in amusement or scream in annoyance at her messy reports, which often had messy doodles of people she described.

The rosette was almost as outrageous as Uzumaki Naruto (but not quite, because the boy wore freaking _orange_ wherever he went).

"Then there was this lady… Her tits were huge. I mean, _humongo_." Sakura said in an almost awed tone, cupping air above her chest as though trying to show what she had seen with that – whatshername, Matsumoto? – Shinigami woman. At this action, Hinata turned crimson, a mildly disturbed look on her face. "It could rival shishou's. Long, wavy, strawberry-blonde hair, pink scarf, lieutenant badge, projectile-type Zanpakutou named Haineko.

And then there was this bald guy with a huge temper. He had a Bankai, but didn't appear to wear that flashy haori all captains wear. He also didn't have a lieutenant badge or anything, so he must be Sanseki or below. His Bankai was called Ryuumon Houzukimaru, if I remember correctly. There was another guy who looked like a pretty-boy with a fancy bobbed cut, but he didn't really do anything but watch that Houzukimaru guy.

Also, there was another Shinigami who possessed Bankai there. He had a lieutenant badge. Wild red hair in a ponytail suspiciously similar to the Lazyass Pineapple Head. Judging by the way he released Bankai almost immediately, he's pretty rash. Bankai was called Hihiou Zabimaru or something like that."

When Sakura did not continue, Hinata narrowed her eyes, blush gone.

"There were two more."

Sakura blinked blankly. "Yeah. One of them was the Substitute Shinigami, according to Shuurajou." She tapped the hilt of her sheathed Zanpakutou, which she brought everywhere with her, even in freaking the _sauna_. "The other one was Kuchiki Rukia, the one who had the Hougyouku sealed in her."

While with Shinigami, everyone would likely stiffen and be silent when the Hougyouku was mentioned, Reiyoukai were different. They were rather flippant (or rather, dismissive or uncaring) about even serious things.

Temari had whistled lowly. "Nasty."

"The one whose soul was uninjured even with having the Hougyouku forcefully separated from her?" Rin inquired curiously.

Tenten and Ino merely blinked at them, both uncaring of the current subject.

"Impressive." Kurenai muttered at Rin's comment.

"Their reiatsu was still there when I left. Apparently, the remaining Arrancar, the one not assigned to me, had retreated or something." Sakura tilted her head as she kicked her feet back and forth, trying to recall the details of the wavering of the spiritual signals. "That Arrancar was winning. So the only logical reasoning would be that someone – someone he could not disobey – stopped him." She frowned. "I felt the presence of a portal opening. Must be one of Aizen Sousuke's lackeys or something."

"You know," Temari started. "You would actually be good at writing reports if you actually put any _real_ effort in it."

Sakura seem vaguely annoyed at this. "Shut up. Wasting effort on such things is a total brain-killer."

-**x**-

.**:**Author-Comments**:**.

-**x**-

You know what? I had been having many plot bunnies visiting me lately. This is my latest epiphany. I just wondered, Hell could not simply rely on Soul Society's Shinigami, yeah? So I came up with this. Sakura's the main character and _yes_, Hinata's what could be equaled to a captain in Soul Society. Just as how Shinigami and Arrancar had different terms for the same technique, it is same for Hell, or as I named it in this story, Yomi (underworld).

Next chapter: _Of Reports & Aliies  
_Preview: _"Pardon my subordinate's behavior–" "Subordinate? Since when was I _below_ you, Raccoon?" "–but Yomi wishes to make an alliance with you… We believe the enemies are being severely underestimated." "You just quoted from my report to shishou."_

I'll give a list of the shirei (Commander(s)) and fukushirei (Vice-Commander(s)) later on after each of them make an appearance, so it won't be too confusing. Right now, I'll explain about Sakura…hm, and who's her second-in-command? I'm not telling yet, because he (yes, he) is not seen, or even mentioned, in this chapter.

Regarding all of their physical appearances…while all of them technically are the same age, they have different physical age appearances. Remember, Reiyoukai have the ability to cast illusions, but they also have another ability – shapeshifting. Which means they can look whatever age they want to (kinda like Tsunade's live-young-forever technique). Their real physical age actually depends when they died, though, and they don't age one bit (unlike Shinigami, who have greatly slowed aging instead). Most of the Konoha Twelve chose to appear around twelve, though some of them chose to appear fourteen or fifteen.

Now let's…take a look at the statistics of Sakura…

_Nanakyouku-shirei of Meido-eihei Juunitai, Haruno Sakura  
_**CHARACTERISTICS  
**_Name: Haruno Sakura  
Race: Reiyoukai (Soul Demon/Phantom)  
Birthday: March 28 (when she was born as a human), November 7 (when she arrived in Yomi) (NOTE: Souls have two birthdays – their mortal birthday and soul birthday. Their soul birthday is the day they died.)  
Age: 12 (when using the Reiyoukai transformation ability), 15 (true physical age when died), 317(spirit years), 329 (chronologically)  
Gender: Female  
Height: 140 cm (4'7") (when appearing twelve years old), 151 cm (4'11") (when appearing fifteen years old)  
Weight: 35kg (77 lbs.)  
Blood Type: O  
_**PROFESSIONAL STATUS  
**_Affiliation: Nanakyouku (Seventh Department), Meido-eihei Juunitai (12 Underworld Sentinels), Akumakai (Demon Hell), Yomi (Land of the Underworld)  
Occupation: Nanakyouku-shirekan (Seventh Commander)  
_**ZANPAKUTOU  
**_Shikai: Shuurajou (Scene of Carnage OR Bloodshed) – Ability: Unknown  
Bankai: NOT REVEALED – Ability: Unknown  
_**BIO:** Haruno Sakura is the commander of the seventh department, which specializes in large-scale operations in times of need. Sakura is a natural leader, though is quite lazy and usually pushes her duties and paperwork to her vice-commander or third-rank officer. She is usually found annoying people, which she claims is her hobby. Sakura is also the disciple of the Ichikyouku-shirei, Senju Tsunade, whose department commands the rest of the departments and handles Medical Support and the Autopsy Corps. Her skills primarily focus on illusionary techniques, close-combat, intellect and medical techniques, and she is considered the one with the best well-developed skills in Yomi. While she is capable of all-around techniques, she does not specialize solely on one single skill like the rest of the commanders, and is therefore labeled the 'Jack of All Trades'. Sakura, however, is a master at controlling any kind spiritual energy, and therefore can learn almost any technique right off the bat. Because of her specialty in spiritual control, Tsunade sometimes assigns her to teaching Reiyoukai-in-training some techniques when off duty.

Let me say this so you don't get confused. Basically, Reiyoukai can change their physical appearance, so it's not as simple as a Henge. It's kind of like Tsunade's Advanced Henge technique. They can change their physical appearance to look like another, look like an older or younger version of themselves, as well as just simply hiding their true appearances. Sakura prefers to appear twelve, when her true physical age (Reiyoukai don't age physically one bit, unlike Shinigami who have slowed aging instead) is fifteen. Yes, I must say that I can't help but repeating the same thing over and over again. I'm a parrot - bite me.

Oh wait, don't. I don't appreciate my ass being bitten by anything. At all.

* * *

Nekomata - Fork-tailed cat  
Reiatsu - Spiritual Pressure OR Spiritual Signal  
Shinigami - Death Reapers OR Death Gods  
Gigai - Faux body  
Arrancar - Hollow which ripped off its mask to obtain Shinigami-like powers.  
Juubantai-taichou - Juubantai means Tenth Division. Taichou means captain. Juubantai-taichou essentially means captain of tenth division.  
Geteikaichou - Limiter Release, a technique to remove a limit seal given to the captains and vice-captains so their powerful reiatsu is suppressed. It is to keep them from attracting Hollows. The Spirit Limiter Seal is automatically placed on anyone near captain-class when they pass through Senkai Gate. Since those in the captain-class have massive Reiatsu, they must retrain most of their Reiatsu so that they will not have an affect on the spirits in the Mortal World. Geteikaichou is used to remove the seal, allowing them to use their full Reiatsu...or so Suifeng says in Episode 273.  
Zanpakutou - Soul Slayers that Shinigami and Arrancar wield. Apparently, Reiyoukai also have them.  
Bankai - The second stage of the Zanpakutou. Means 'Final release'.  
Espada - Top ten Arrancar.  
Hakama-himo - The white belt Shinigami wear. Sakura and many Reiyoukai also wear it, though in different colors to signify which Department they are apart of.  
Snaith - The long handle of a scythe. Traditional scythes have handles protruding from near the foot of the snaith.  
"Omae wa...Reiyoukai?" - "You are...a Soul Demon?"  
Shitagi - The white underclothing Shinigami wear beneath their black outfit.  
Sanzunokawa - Literally means The River Styx. River Styx was the river the dead had to cross in order to reach the underworld in western culture. I just decided to transfer it to this story, even though _Dyed_ is Japanese-oriented.  
Nanakyouku-shirei - Nanakyouku means Seventh Department. Shirei means Commander. Nanakyouku-shirei means Commander of Seventh Department.  
Ossan - Old man. Equivelent to Oji-san.  
Akumakai - Hell's equivelent to Seireitei. A play on the words Akuma (demon) and makai (hell).  
Ichikyouku - First Department  
Gokyouku-fukushirei - Vice-commander of Fifth Department  
Rukongai - Pluses's living area in Soul Society.  
Yomi – Underworld  
Nikyouku-shirei - Second Department's Commander  
Sankyouku-shirei - It's stated in this chapter.  
Rokukyouku-shirei - Sixth Department's Commander  
Yonkyouku-fukushirei - Fourth Department's Vice-Commander

Did I miss anything? Got my info wrong? Grammar, vocabulary or spelling mistakes? Please tell me, if so.

Review are appreciated. And thanks to yuchi1994 for (being the only one to actually) review. May I love you? Seriously. (-sulks- People are so stingy...

Review please. Arigatou Gozaimasu!)

-TTL


	3. CHP 2: Of Reports & High Schools

******Title:** Dyed**  
****Rating:** T**  
****Genre:** Crossover / Adventure / Action / Friendship / Humor / Fantasy / Supernatural / Family**  
****Main Characters:** Haruno Sakura, Hitsugaya Toushirou [Kuchiki Rukia, Matsumoto Rangiku, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke, Senju Tsunade, Hyuuga Hinata, etc]**  
****Warning:** I should mention that every NARUTO character are OOC. That's what three hundred years of living do to your head.**  
****Story Summary:** Just as how Soul Society ('heaven') had Shinigami ('death reapers'), Yomi ('hell') had Reiyoukai ('soul demons'). Juubantai-taichou Hitsugaya Toushirou just happened to encounter one of them, Haruno Sakura. [HitsuSaku ToushiSaku | BLEACH X NARUTO | Shinigami | Inner Zanpakutou]  
**Chapter Summary:** "Uzumaki Naruto is in the house!" "Get out of the way, Naruto. You're blocking the way, moron."

(P.S. I don't own. Anything. Except the plot and Hell setting. Hey, do I LOOK like Kishimoto Masashi or Tite Kubo?)

**O** _F_ **R** _E_ _P_ _O_ _R_ _T_ _S_ _&_ **_H_**_ I G H **S** C H O O L S_

_you are Shinigami. I am Reiyoukai._

-**x**-

_"Because, everything is connected.  
In the end…everything returns to the beginning."_

-**x**-

_The Day Later – Yomi – Akumakai – Ichikyouku Headquarters – Head Commander's Office_

-**x**-

_…And so, Nade-shishou, I have come to the conclusion that the Shinigami are grossly underestimating the Arrancar and we would, at some point, be required to come and save their asses._

_The End._

_P.S. Shizune hid your sake. I know where it is. Can I dump my work of Neji tomorrow?_

-**x**-

At the last line, Tsunade eyes grew wide as she dropped the scroll and ransacked her super-secret-and-locked drawer, discovering that her sake had, indeed, been stolen by her vice-commander.

Shizune was sly. Sakura was even slyer. Those damned brats–

Whatever. Neji was Sakura's vice-commander, so it wasn't really Tsunade's business or anything if she wanted to dump her work on him and skip out on work for the day (it happens at least twice a week though, so it was actually too common an occurrence to be referred to as 'for the day').

Onto more serious matters…

Tsunade picked up the scroll again and rescanned the words written on it with narrowed hazel eyes. She frowned. Despite her demeanor and lazy attitude, Sakura was just as analytical as the commander and vice-commander of the tenth department, Uchiha Itachi and Nara Shikamaru. The girl picked up on things quickly, and despite her flippant words, no matter how she phrased things, it was the same meaning in the end.

The Arrancar were grossly underestimated.

"Shizune!"

Her assistant and vice-commander rushed in, bowing lowly, "Hai, Tsunade-sama?"

"Get–"

Shizune suddenly smiled all-too-sweetly. "If it's about your sake, I'm not giving it back until you finish your paperwork." She gestured to the tall mountains of stacks of paperwork on the desk, _just sitting there_ and not signed.

"No," Tsunade forced a calm tone. "Get Gaara and Sakura as soon as they finished with their assignments." Her eyes narrowed. "Tell them it is about the Arrancar and Shinigami."

The atmosphere tensed when Shizune stared blankly, before nodding.

"Hai."

She turned to leave, but at the last second, Tsunade stopped her.

"Call Hinata, Shikamaru, Neji and Naruto in. I am assigning them a mission."

-**x**-

_Yomi – Akumakai – Kyuukyouku Headquarters – Commander's Office_

Shizune sighed when she saw Uzumaki Naruto, his Vice-Commander Inuzuka Kiba, and the third officer of the Fourth department Akimichi Chouji having a eating contest, all three devouring Naruto's hidden stash of ramen cups (which he, for lack of better word, bribed/begged/threatened Kiba to smuggle from the Mortal World, as none sell it here in Yomi and since Naruto was banned from going to the Mortal World). Sakura did not appear to be joking when she 'jokingly' called Naruto a 'Ramen Monster', comparing him with Sesame Street's Cookie Monster.

The blonde blue-eyed boy, dressed in black pants and an unzipped black-and-orange jacket with a black shirt (with a red swirl logo imprinted) underneath, was quarreling with his second-in-command, who was dressed in the same way except with a zipped-up grey baggy sweater. Two immature thirteen-year-old-esque boys arguing with their mouths open, ramen broth spilling out of their mouths as they shot insults at each other – to Shizune, it was a disgusting sight.

"Ahem." She tried catching their attention, but they were too noisy and thus did not hear her. She twitched. "AHOU!"

The two boys stopped and stare, whereas Chouji ignored her and kept eating.

Slurping the noodles hanging from his mouth, Naruto beamed childishly. "Eh, Shizune-neechan!"

Deciding she was wasting time, Shizune threw the scroll at him, which hit him in the face.

"Tsunade wants to see you for a mission. Clean your face and get ready!"

She decided to inform the others through messenger Tengu instead of rushing throughout Akumakai informing them personally. Tsunade was probably sleeping in on her job again.

-**x**-

_Yomi – Forest of the Great Tengu_

A girl stood in the middle of a field, leaves and twisted, deformed weapons scattered everywhere but the perfect circle she stood in. Her hands were in an odd position, as though she had finished delivering an attack.

The wind blew, playfully yet silently ruffling her chest-length navy hair. Said hair was in a hime-cut, the cute kind of hairstyles typical royal princesses and sweet Lolita girls had. Her complexion was pale ivory, a stark contrast to the dull, gray-lavender hooded jacket and black pants she wore. She sighed, lifting her eyelids to reveal pale moon-like orbs which hinted she was blind. But that could not be true, as she stared at her kunoichi sandal-clad feet with a strange calmness that was almost melancholic.

Her very presence seemed even ominous in the lush green forest, the only dense forest in the entire of Hell.

"Nice, Hinata!" Tenten complimented as she jumped out of a tree and approached the unsurprised Hyuuga.

Her long brown hair was in twin buns as usual, and she was clad in sky blue top. Above the azure shirt was a half-zipped hooded short-sleeved black jacket, and she wore baggy black caprice (which had tons of pockets to hide numerous scrolls) which stopped in the middle of her calves.

Tenten stared down at the kunai and shuriken which littered the forest. They were cut into pieces, some were bent, and all were deformed. The brunette winced. She would have to clean up later, or the Daitengu would hunt her ass down.

"You're getting better."

Hinata sighed, almost irritably. "I need to come up with something else."

Tenten stared, confused. "Huh? Run that by me again?"

The Hyuuga frowned, and started muttering, as though she was talking to herself. "I need to extend the range of my technique… If I can't do that, I'll need to invent another jutsu…"

"What exactly do you mean?"

Hinata blinked and turned her attention to Tenten. "A long-ranged attack. I would need that if I need to fight multiple opponents. All the Hyuuga techniques, even ones invented by me, are mostly close to mid-ranged."

Before they could carry their discussion any further, a Tengu flew overhead in circles, before landing on the arm Hinata raised. Wordlessly, she unlatched the scroll from its back. She blinked, eyebrows rising in surprise.

"A mission?"

-**x**-

_Somewhere in the Mortal World_

Sakura lithely maneuvered through the streets in her cat form, unnoticed by all due to the shadows which shielded her from the humans. Because really, everyone would look at her with odd looks if she were to run freely, seeing how cats usually don't possess a forked tail like a nekomata, or menacing red eyes of a demon.

It was raining this time, so when she reached her destination, she hid by the base of a tree and waited for her target. So when she saw a couple of Hollows approaching with a maniacal roar, parading through town and destroying the glass windows of buildings with their piercing shrieks, she jumps out of her hiding spot, morphing into her humanoid form as she walked in a fast pace. Unlatching and extending her scythe, she disappeared in a blur, swiping it through the Hollows easily. Their masks broke, revealing faces before their soul disappeared down the pathway to the underworld.

When she strapped her scythe back on her back, she didn't expect a small Tengu to hit her right at the back of the head.

"Ow!" Sakura rubbed her head, glaring daggers at the bird-like creature. "You'd better have a good reason for running into me that!"

"Gomenasai, Haruno-shirei-sama," The Tengu messenger cowered at her glare. "But Senju-shirei-sama has a message for you."

Sakura glanced at the scroll that was strapped on the Tengu's back. "What does the old lady want again?" She grumbled as she snatched the scroll from the messenger bird.

As her verdant eyes traveled across the words written on the scroll, they narrowed.

"That senile old hag…" She muttered as she shoved the scroll between the folds of her shitagi and kimono.

-**x**-

_Yomi – Akumakai – Nanakyouku Headquarters – Vice-Commander's Office_

A fourteen-year-old (he did not bother drastically hiding his physical age, unlike _others_) male by the name of Hyuuga Neji sat at his desk in his office, sighing in annoyance as he thought back of what Sakura had declared this morning.

(( _"Hey, Slave! Take care of this shitload of paperwork!"_ ))

He knew right then that she bribed Tsunade into allowing her to ditch her paperwork on him.

See, every Reiyoukai had duties and assignments handed to them, ranging from reaping hollows in the Mortal World, reaping not-yet-Hollow souls in the Shinobi World, to paperwork, paperwork and a 'shitload of paperwork'. After getting back from missions and assignments, the higher ranked officers such as Commanders and Vice-Commanders also needed to read, sign and/or stamp tons of paperwork.

However, it seemed like one way or another, Sakura convinced/coerced/bribed/persuaded/threatened Tsunade to allow her dump her paperwork on him, and go on reaping sprees in the real world herself, ditching all of the commander-only duties on _him_.

He really hated her. Not only was she irresponsible and eccentric, she often annoyed him by jumping onto his back and demanding piggyback rides because she was _tired_ (he felt like a freaking horse every time).

(Neji had probably used to much force to stamp the papers, because the ink was leaking through.)

He hated her to the core.

So, imagine his reaction when he found out that he was to be assigned with a mission of indefinitely length of time.

-**x**-

_Somewhere in the Shinobi World_

A redheaded boy – appearing about fourteen or fifteen years old – stood in the middle of a deserted alley, pale turquoise eyes scrutinizing the words on a scroll. He wore a black outfit and a maroon vest, and one would mistake him for a Shinigami had it not been the menacing black-snaithed solid blood red-bladed scythe he held in his left hand. Around his neck was a pale red-tinted scarf that he wore because of his occupation before he had died.

He kept a blank look on his face, narrowing his black-lined eyes to slits.

"What does it say, Gaara?" His vice-commander asked in mild interest, placing a cigarette between his lips.

Sand shot up from the ground and hit the cigarette aside, causing it to drop on the ground.

"Asuma, how many times have I said not to smoke in my presence?" Gaara asked in a monotone, giving a sideward glance.

The older male did not appear alarmed by this (it was a really, _really_ common occurrence, after all), merely holding his hands up as though to protect himself.

"Okay, okay. I'm not smoking."

Gaara turned his gaze away. He tightened his hold on his scythe, causing it to be reduced to sand. His left hand now free, he rolled the scroll close, tossing it to the messenger Tengu who clumsily caught it with its beak before quietly declaring its leave.

_Sakura, Gaara, I want you both to meet up with each other when you're done with your duties. It is regarding about the Arrancar; we will create an alliance and work with the Shinigami. I will elaborate once you meet up with each other and use the communication device. Your opinions and complaints are rejected._

"Wakatta," He muttered in reply to the words on the scroll.

-**x**-

_Yomi – Akumakai – Juukyouku Headquarters – Vice-Commander's Office_

When the Commander of Juukyouku, Uchiha Itachi, saw his second-in-command sleeping and drooling on the paperwork in an almost exact position he often found the Head Commander in, his first thought was how reckless and careless his Vice-Commander was to sleep in such a manner in a building full of once-Shinobi Soul Demons. It was rather moronic.

So, in a frighteningly casual manner, he flung a Kunai the fourteen-year-old-looking Reiyoukai, whose hand shot up and deflected it with another Kunai. Nara Shikamaru looked up drowsily.

"Manners please. Knock next time, Itachi-shirei."

"I will start knocking the door before entering when you stop sleeping and salivating on your paperwork."

Shikamaru scoffed. "Touché. What is it?" If he knew only one thing about his superior, it was that Itachi never bothered him unless it was something important.

His answer was a scroll thrown in his direction, which he caught expertly.

"It appears you have a mission."

-**x**-

_Mortal World – Japan – Karakura Town – Karakura High School_

Toushirou sat on the roof of Karakura High School, typing his report into his spirit phone. While half of his mind was focusing on his task, the other half of him was contemplating about the girl who had effectively and handily defeated the Arrancar. Well, she didn't really _defeated_ them, so to say, she simply (easily) gotten 'rid' of the Arrancar by bringing him to hell (quite literally).

What bothered him about her was that her reiatsu was suspiciously similar to a Hollow's dark and thick spiritual energy, yet also had the tranquility and calmness of a normal Shinigami's. He never knew a Reiyoukai's reiryoku felt like that, seeing how he never actually met one (the last time they were seen was at least a thousand years ago), but it really hadn't surprise him a Reiyoukai's spiritual energy had the aura of a Hollow's. Souls which committed unforgivable acts (mostly Hollows) all ended up in Hell. Still, it bothered him a little.

The bells in his head went off. Someone was approaching.

"Guess who!" It was his lieutenant's voice, her hands covering his eyes. He was careful not to move, because if he turned his head, he knew he would face her boobs seeing how they were as big as his head or something. Oh, and if he moved, she would definitely start suffocating him with those things.

"What are you doing now, Matsumoto?"

She leaned away (thank god, having her breasts hanging over his shoulder was _not_ an enjoyable experience – he would go as far as call it traumatic) in surprise. There was exaggerated awe in her voice, "Ora, sugoi, taichou! You got it on your first try!"

She was screwing with him.

Annoyed, Toushirou unattached Rangiku's hands from his eyes and turned around. On her face was a goofy grin. "I can't imagine anyone getting it wrong." He stated in a matter-of-factly tone, face in a deadpan. His eyes were glaring at her though.

As though mockingly, she asked in a conversational tone, "What are you doing up here? Do kids wearing school uniforms have to come up here?"

Yes. Yes, she was screwing with him. He just knows it.

"I'm giving my report." Toushirou replied tersely. While it may seem to be a no-nonsense tone, Rangiku knew it could be considered as an indignant tone. She just likes bothering him. It was amusing.

Rangiku blinked. She sighed in disappointment. "Ahhh…we would've kicked their butts if they just approved for our limiters to be removed earlier!" She sulked almost childishly when she remembered how after about half a minute after the Reiyoukai girl with the pink hair had defeated the three Arrancar, they finally received a reply and the approval for their limiters to be released. That really annoyed her (Renji was a little less expressive about it, but he was equally put off).

Toushirou was silent for a moment. "Those guys were weaklings."

The strawberry-blonde woman furrowed her brows.

"They weren't Vasto Lorde. They probably weren't even Adjuchas. That Reiyoukai had defeated them easily, while even I, a captain, couldn't defeat a Gillian class without at least releasing my limiter." He turned his head, glancing at his lieutenant with a terse look. "Their level is that high."

There was a short silence, before a female voice, saying in a mockingly awed tone, rang out.

"Ara, thank you for your compliment, Shinigami-san! If I do say so myself, yes, Reiyoukai are _that_ strong."

Toushirou and Rangiku turned with a start. They hadn't even sensed anyone!

Sitting by the rooftop's edge was the same rosette Reiyoukai girl they saw the night before, and beside her stood a redheaded boy. They were in casual – mostly black and red/maroon – human clothes, not the exact attire of soul demons or the attire of school kids.

"He was referring to the Arrancar, Sakura." Said redhead replied in a monotone.

The rosette – 'Sakura', as they came to know – deadpanned. "You really are a stick in the mud, ya know?"

Her companion did not reply.

"You're that Reiyoukai!" She noticed that the Midget's reiatsu seemed to spike a little, as though on defense. "Why are you here?"

Sakura blinked blankly before nudging the redhead. "Oi, you talk! You're the Hachikyouku-shirei!"

He gave her a sideward glance. The kind of stare that plainly said 'duh'. The Hachikyouku were the head department of negotiation and diplomacy, and Sakura was hardly diplomatic when it came to other spiritual beings. He gave an imperceptible sigh, before turning his gaze to the Shinigami. She was as much of a hassle as her mentor (god, he sounded like Shikamaru).

"Pardon my subordinate's behavior–"

"Subordinate? Since when was I _below_ you, Tanuki?"

"–but Yomi wishes to make an alliance with you…"

"Of course," Sakura interrupted. "By alliance, we do not mean anything akin to a marriage to tie our two dimensions or anything sickeningly traditional like that."

The redhead gave her a look. To others, it may seem like an empty gaze, but Sakura and practically everyone in Yomi knew it was a freaking annoyed glare. Sakura shrugged, gesturing for him to continue.

"We believe the enemies are being severely underestimated."

"You just quoted from my report to shishou."

He gave her The Look again. She shrugged once more.

Rangiku stare with a clueless look meanwhile, while Toushirou stared with mild annoyance and confusion.

Noticing the looks on their faces, Sakura turned her attention back to them. "Oh yeah. You don't know who we are, do you…"

True, except for the fact that she was a Reiyoukai and the boy beside her was probably one too, the two Shinigami assumed.

The rosette pointed to herself, "Sakura, commander of the seventh department." She purposely did not state her surname, because really. Haruno Sakura sounded like Haru no Sakura. Introducing yourself as Springfield of Cherry Blossoms wasn't exactly the epitome of super-awesome-kickass-Reiyoukai-of-Yomi. In fact, it sounded degrading to her skills, so she only introduced herself to her opponents who she deemed worthy, because if she did, they could come after and try and kill her or something if she ever was forced to escape. To to-be allies, she'd prefer not to say her surname though.

Because they'd probably laugh or something.

"Sabaku Gaara, commander of the eighth department."

The two looked confused at their statuses.

"Commander? Department?" Rangiku repeated as though not sure what they meant, "Is that Reiyoukai's equivalent to 'captain' and 'division'?"

Sakura shrugged. "Kinda." She hopped off the rooftop's edge, approaching the two. "And if I'm not mistaken, you two are the captain and vice-captain of tenth division, ne?"

Toushirou did not answer. "Why is it you wish to create an alliance with us now?"

Sakura raised a brow. "Hey, don't phrase it like as though I _want_ to be connected to you Shinigami in any way." Then, she pushed her index finger against the center of his forehead, causing him to lean back with a start. "See, it's not us that need help. It's you Shinigami who need it. You are underestimating the enemies."

Overcoming the surprise of her boldness, Toushirou frowned and pushed her hand away (she looked rather amused at this reaction, if that gleeful smile meant anything). "I realize that."

"We Reiyoukai are more suited for fighting against Hollows." Sakura smiled serenely, "I believe I've all ready proven that."

His frown deepened. Beside him, Rangiku stared in surprise at how daring the rosette was to poke his forehead; her captain hated it whenever someone did anything that involved patting his head, mocking his height, and-or treating him like a child. What the rosette did implied that she regarded him as a mere child, not someone who lived over a hundred years.

"Sakura," Gaara spoke up, walking up to her, "Stop fooling around." He turned his attention to the two Shinigami. "We were sent to create an alliance with Shinigami, however, I ask of you to not announce any of this to the public." His pale eyes seem to darken a few shades, "After all, Aizen Sousuke is not one to be taken lightly."

"Maataku…" Sakura muttered. "Quit being so dramatic, Tanuki." She rolled her eyes, pointing at the two Shinigami in a lazy manner. "The thing is, we were ordered by our superiors to aid you Death Reapers in fighting Aizen and the Arrancar, because you'll need us to save your asses sooner or later."

Toushirou looked mildly insulted. Rangiku merely blinked.

-**x**-

After that, the two Reiyoukai had left without warning, with the rosette waving almost cheerfully at them (her preppy-ness was false though, she did it to mock them), the redhead stating they will return.

So Toushirou wasn't really surprised when the next day, students had gossiped about a few weird students who were newly transferred to Karakura High.

-**x**-

_Mortal World – Japan – Karakura Town – Karakura High School_

The students of Karakura High School had stared but promptly cleared way to a group of teenagers, walking through the hallways of the building with an air of authority despite their outrageous appearances and strange behaviors.

"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan! Do you really know where you're going?" A boy – yellow-not-blonde spiky hair, cerulean blue eyes, messy male uniform, unzipped tacky black-rimmed orange jacket and all – had walked with confidence and a slight tinge of arrogance, arms folded behind his head.

The rosette of the group had replied with an annoyed (slightly aggravated) tone. "Are you _mocking_ me? I have all ready remembered the feel of their Reiatsu, moron." She pointed at her forehead with her right hand thumb. "What do you think this forehead's for?"

The Blonde thought it was wise to ignore that rhetorical question. He would be (extraordinarily) _stupid_, if he tried reminding her of how when she was really annoyed with him, she'd headbutt him on the head with that _indestructible_, _made-of-steel_…thing. Contrary to popular belief, her skull and skin was thicker than his, considering the fact he always wound up with a wound whenever she headbutted him, while she did not even had a scratch on her.

"We are not mocking your skills in any way." The brunet boy with pale, grey-lavender moons for eyes had replied (also deciding it was not wise to point out the other (more violent) purpose of her forehead). Some students had gossiped among themselves if he was blind, but were silenced when he glared down at them. "We are merely mocking your sense of direction."

The rosette pulled him by the ear, causing him to grunt in annoyance and pain. He tried pulling away in a reflex, but she held him in place with her vice-like grip.

Another boy, redheaded with black-lined turquoise eyes, had ignored them, but looked around wearily as though he hadn't slept in months, which was in fact not far from the truth. "How can people wear these things?" He seemed to squirm uncomfortably as he loosened the tie. "It's suffocating."

The boy with the messy uniform, lazy, bored expression and spiky ponytailed black hair (resembling like a pineapple, some students noted) had grunted in agreement.

"That's because you suck at fixing your tie." The Rosette had answered with a forced deadpanned expression as she released her companion's ear, who rubbed it with a sour look. "All four of you idiots do."

"Well," The last member of the group was a busty female who had long navy locks styled in a hime-cut, and possessed the same eyes as the brunet boy. She stared down at her uniform with a look of embarrassment. "It is somewhat unnerving to wear this. I am not used to a skirt…"

This time, the Rosette laughed. "Eh? I think you all look cute in it." She had appeared to say that to fluster and embarrass the Navette (she blushed easily despite her calm demeanor) and Pineapple-Head (who was only truly embarrassed when referred to such a cutesy way) and to annoy the Redhead (he hid it under an apathetic look, though) and Brunet (irritation splayed across his face in an obvious manner). The Blonde jumped up in excitement.

"Hontou ni, Sakura-chan? Well yes, I am pretty hot stuff, eh?"

"What I had said had no relation to you, moron."

"Aw, don't be like that!"

"Wanna talk to the fist?"

The Blonde had promptly started repeating a mantra consisting of 'I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry…' in a traumatized tone, like those of mental patients who just went through chemotherapy or something along those lines. By the time she declared they had reached their destination, he immediately recovered and slammed the sliding door open in an overly dramatic manner.

"Uzumaki Naruto is in the house!"

That surprised everyone in the room that they had stopped their chatter and stared. Just stared. At the corner of the room, those who the Redhead and Rosette knew as captain and lieutenant of the tenth division (they had attended on a mere whim, deciding that the Reiyoukai would come to the same place AKA Karakura High) had become slack in the jaw, gaping (the former not as openly as the latter).

What had surprised the two (and their other Shinigami comrades minus Ichigo who disappeared to Neverland), was that the blonde boy was kicked down by a fifteen-year-old-looking, petite rosette girl (she was around Rukia's height) who announced in a impassive tone,

"Get out of the way, Naruto. You're blocking the way, moron."

Then, she looked up, blinking when she saw Madarame Ikkaku in front of her, gawking.

"You're that kid!" He pointed at her almost immaturely.

Sakura twitched slightly at this. Some small, rational part of his mind wondered if this girl was like Hitsugaya-taichou. His dull, ignored suspicions were confirmed when the other presumably-Reiyoukai had visibly paled, the blonde and brunet much more drastically than the other two.

"And you're that shiny baldhead."

Ikkaku immediately snapped. "Nan da tou?" He took a threatening step forward, not really liking the idea of attacking a female, but annoyed at the way she just insulted his _shaved head_. Yes, _shaved head_. He pulled out his wooden sword (goddamn, he wanted Houzukimaru but _nooo_, there was that stupid mortal law humans had!).

Sakura smiled, satisfied with the reaction. "Ara, didn't you hear me?" She grinned childishly in an almost irritatingly innocent fashion, tilting her head. She tapped her chin, eyes glinting mischievously. "I'll repeat then…shi-ny-bald-head."

A vein popped in his forehead. He was about to attack her (possibly tackle her to the ground and then mock her shortness or something like that, the sadistic part of his mind thought) when the team leader of his current mission yelled out in a terse voice.

"Yamerou," Toushirou demanded, stepping in between.

Ignoring the stares of the few, mortal students in the class (before lesson, most would take advantage of the freedom of socializing so many were not here except for three or four), he turned his cold gaze at Sakura, who had one foot on top of the blonde's ('Uzumaki Naruto', he recalled) head and arms by her side. Appearing to be fifteen-years-old instead of the twelve-year-old she was before (it appears Reiyoukai could change their physical age, Toushirou dully thought), she now wore the Karakura High female uniform, and her hair was still in that high, messy ponytail and tied with that red ribbon. Under her navy skirt, she wore black biker shorts. She was taller of course, though less than half a head taller than him now, around Kuchiki Rukia's height, he noted. The other boy he met ('Sabaku Gaara', he remembered) also wore the male uniform, his tie loose and a few buttons on top unbuttoned. This was the same for the lazy-looking boy and brunet boy beside Sakura. The other white-eyed girl had a noticeable aura of confidence and superiority, and reminded him of Kuchiki Byakuya in a way.

"Why are you here?"

Sakura's eyes darted to him, verdant orbs now displaying laziness and impassivity instead of the amusement and mischievousness it had before. "What're ya talkin' 'bout? Are ya stupid? All students are required to attend school."

Toushirou narrowed his eyes at that. The abandoned part of his mind, the part that noted odd, strange things, had wondered how they had managed to enroll in Karakura High, especially in the substitute Shinigami's class. There was a limit to how many students can be in a single class. Even if they had enrolled in here, they would've been in separate classes, especially since his lieutenant, himself, and four other Shinigami were (temporarily) enrolled.

Plus, the memory-replacer was invented by Shinigami, so Reiyoukai don't have that…unless they had something similar to it. Toushirou decided to question them after school.

Apparently most of the students had gone into the classroom to see what the commotion was about, because the classroom suddenly seemed very crowded.

"Okay kids, get to your seats!" The teacher entered, clapping her hands as though she was a pre-school teacher trying to get the attention of little children. She blinked at the presence of six extra students. "Eh? More new students?"

Sakura smiled in a manner that most of the mortal male students had considered alluring and had hyperventilate at. "Hai!" She grinned, closed eyes curved. "Atashi wa Haruno Sakura desu!"

Her tone was that of a giddily happy schoolgirl, and if Ichigo was here, he would comment on how it sounded like Rukia's fake girly tone when she first enrolled in Karakura High.

"Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Hyuuga Hinata desu. Yorosuku." The other girl introduced herself in a curt yet polite manner, expression blank.

"Hyuuga Neji." The other boy who had the same eyes she had said, considerably more emotionless and less courteous than his relative.

"Nara Shikamaru…" The lazy boy drawled out in a lazed tone.

"Sabaku Gaara."

"Hm," Her expression turned thoughtful. "Not a talkative bunch, eh? Well, except you two," She gestured to the only two fair-haired Reiyoukai. "Maa, maa… There aren't any spare seats 'round here, so some of you guys have to get them from the class down the hallway." She pointed to the wall behind her with her thumb.

When she finished, Sakura was all ready dragging Neji by the hand and Naruto by the foot out of the door with false enthusiasm. "Hai, sensei! Ikeimasou!"

As she and the others exited the room, Toushirou and Rangiku sweatdropped at the drastic change in personality.

-**x**-

"…Taichou."

"…nani, Matsumoto?"

"…her name was Haru no Sakura, right? Hehe, cute kid!"

"…Matsumoto."

"Hai, taichou?"

"Shut up."

-**x**-

_Yomi – Akumakai – Juuchikyouku Headquarters – Backyard Garden_

Terumii Mei, current Juuchikyouku-shirei and ex-Godaime Mizukage of Kirigakure (when she was alive), was by no means a petty woman.

But that didn't mean she appreciated it whenever her second-in-command skipped out on the job to watch the clouds and soap bubbles he blew from his full-time-released Shikai Zanpakutou.

"You know," She smiled, the false smile which no one really understood or saw through (had it not been the killing intent radiating off her in waves, that is). "I really _don't_ like it when you skive, Utakata-_kun_."

He gave her an uninterested look, "I would be a fool if I had not done so." He shrugged. "After all, if I actually _did_ my job, _you_ would skip out on it instead. I believe you proved that on your first day as Juuchikyouku-shirei."

She inwardly twitched, but maintained the wide smile on her face. Of course. Even if he looked younger than her, he had died and become a Reiyoukai way before those who died in the Fourth Shinobi War.

"Do you want to die?"

His reply was plain and simple. "I believe we're all already dead."

Her smile only became wider.

…

…

…

"Get to work, you lazyass!"

-**x**-

_Yomi – Akumakai – Juunikyouku Headquarters – Monthly Akumakai Newspaper Editor Office_

"Get to work, you lazyass!"

Nii Yugito rolled her eyes at the commotion near the Juuchikyouku barracks. Those two were going at it again. "Maataku…those nutheads."

Her commander started rapping something that Yugito didn't really register in her head. She twitched and threw the pen in her hand at him.

"For god's sake, take care of your paperwork!"

She wasn't in a good mood. Due to her (_their_) position(s) as a high-ranking officer, she wasn't assigned to any tasks outside of Yomi (which sucked, because she really wanted to get away from her so-called 'shirei', no matter how much she respected him). That was not to say that commanders and their second-in-commands weren't allowed on any missions or anything, because the others went on tons of missions. It was just that out of all departments, she just _had_ to be a part of the one which handled the Akumakai Monthly News. It was annoying as it is with all the assignments thrown over the department, but it was even more aggravating when her superior was an uncooperative and talkative rapper.

Annoying as hell.

And as though he was trying to tick her off even more, he danced (yes, danced, and she would've been crept out at the image of a big, burly, tanned man dancing around while rapping had it not registered in her mind as a 'familiar scene') out of the path of the pen.

"And be quiet! I can't concentrate."

When he started rapping something about 'angry neko', she gritted her teeth. The hellcat in her head commented that he was as insane as his Zanpakutou. That comment hadn't really made her feel any better or patient, so she tossed another pen at him.

He dodged again.

-**x**-

_Yomi – Akumakai – Ichikyouku Headquarters – Head Commander's Office_

"So," The man in front of her started, swirling the sake around in the bottle, "The situation's that serious, eh?"

Tsunade blinked blankly. She could feel her mind getting a bit cloudy. She was resistant to sake's effects though, and merely shrugged as she downed more of the alcoholic beverage. "Not really, but it's better to be safe than sorry. After all, the Arrancar and that two-faced guy Aizen Sousuke and his lackeys _do_ pose a threat… Those Arrancar were clearly among the weakest. Even Sakura said so herself."

"Huh." He muttered in a half-conscious tone. "So the pink kid was the one who was sent to reap and gain information on them? I swear she's almost as insane as Naruto."

She shrugged again. "The idiot takes after _you_, Jiraiya."

"Aw, c'mon, 'Nade, don't be so cold." He whined in an almost childlike manner. It figured. Even though he acted mature in front of others (said he was supposed to 'set a good example', though she knew he just wanted to look cool in front of the next generation), he had a childish side that only came out when he was drunk. Which he always was whenever he visited her once or twice a month, drinking in her office and setting up ridiculous bets about the Reiyoukai (they once betted on Hinata's love life, which made her want to incinerate them when she found out, courteous or not).

"Stop straying from the subject, idiot," Tsunade said, before downing another cup of sake. She refilled her cup with a lazy tilt of her sake bottle. "It isn't really our problem if the Shinigami lost the war and the balance became tipped. After all, their dimension isn't the only one out there. It's just that Orochimaru might be involved, since we haven't heard from him after he broke out of the Underground Volcanic Detainment Cells…and…" She paused, before assuming a bored look, her cheeks flushed due to the influence of the sake. "It's been _reeeaaally_ boring around here lately, ya know?"

They continued their drunken, mindless chatter. Before all this took place, Shizune had all ready fled the scene.

-**x**-

_Mortal World – Japan – Karakura Town – Karakura High School_

When the six Reiyoukai-in-disguise had came back – with the rosette handily carrying a stack of chairs with unbelievable ease – and had set up their seats at the back of the class, the six Shinigami watched them closely. Well, no, not really. Toushirou, Rangiku and Ikkaku were outright staring. Yumichika and Renji couldn't be bothered and only kept one eye on them, while half of Rukia's mind was wondering where the hell Ichigo disappeared to. Somewhere in front where the Reiyoukai sat, Orihime watched with curiosity, while Uryuu and Sadou glanced with impassivity.

To Sakura's left was the window, and in front of her was Neji. Beside Sakura (and behind Rangiku) sat Hinata, and beside her was Gaara. In front of the redhead was Naruto, and beside the blonde was Shikamaru.

Either ways, the six scythe-wielders looked outrageous. Naruto was sleeping on the desk, with a book placed in front of his head so as to hide his unconsciousness from view. Gaara and Neji were staring blankly at the whiteboard with feigned attention, while Shikamaru was asleep with his chin propped up on the heel of his palm. Hinata was doodling nonsensical things on her notebook, while Sakura was staring out the window with a blank face.

"It looks like the sky is gonna throw up." Sakura suddenly announced to her fellow soul demons (but loud enough so the Shinigami and the substitute Shinigami's friends would overhear). Hinata looked up from her scribbles of a fox, while Neji glanced at her from the corner of his eye. As Naruto and Shikamaru were sleeping, they had not heard her, while Gaara outright ignored her odd way of phrasing things.

"Normal people would say it's going to rain." Neji deadpanned. She promptly shot a pencil at the back of his head, which he caught in his hand with ease. He had not seen it when she grabbed his ridiculously long ponytail and started pulling his hair, though.

While the Shinigami and the Substitute Shinigami's allies had stared uncomprehendingly, Hinata merely sighed. It was a common occurrence, after all. Sakura would say something odd, Neji would reply with something ridiculously degrading in a disrespectful tone, and Sakura would react with violence. It was normal.

"Uh," Rangiku started, leaning backwards in her seat as she whispered to the Hyuuga girl. "Shouldn't we stop them?"

Hinata glanced at the teacher. She didn't seem to notice Neji's annoyed grunts and hushed demands for the rosette to 'let the hell go'. Then she looked at the Nanakyouku-shirei and fukushirei with an almost bored look.

"Even if you see the first sign of blood," She muttered, "You shouldn't stop them. You'd just get caught in the crossfire." She winced and frowned at the same time, as though she herself had experienced the wrath of the SakuNeji hurricane.

Rangiku was speechless, staring at the rosette and brunet with a clueless expression. She didn't look too surprised or dismayed at this, and Hinata could only guess that Soul Society's Shinigami captains and vice-captains also had their quirks.

To her right, she heard Gaara mutter,

"Just ignore them."

She went back to doodling, ignoring the 'let my hair go, woman!' and 'take that, you pansy!' outcries to her left. Hinata sighed irritably. "Easier said than done."

-**x**-

"That's right, that'll teach you!"

"What? What, pray tell, is _wrong_ with your mind, pinky?"

"Hm, who knows?"

"Ow!"

…

"Hyuuga Neji, Haruno Sakura! If you want to fight, please go outside."

"Aw _crap_."

"Nice going, you Dwarf– ow! Goddamnit, you–!"

-**x**-

And that was how Sakura and Neji ended up in detention on the first day of school.

The teacher was always quite flippant about misbehaviors of her students, but when the two had started outright fighting (it was more like a cat fight, really, because they were pulling each others' hair on the floor) in the classroom, she promptly banished them to detention.

"It's your fault." Neji declared when the teacher (Harenka-sensei) in charge of watching over banished-to-detention students left the room with a slam of the sliding door. He frowned at Sakura.

Sakura sent him an innocent look, eyes doe-like and bottom lip jutted out in a thoughtful pout. She tilted her head, and stared at the ceiling with feigned confusion. "Hm, I wonder what you mean."

He was pretty sure she was trying to provoke him. And she was enjoying it, if that expression of utter mirth in her emerald eyes meant anything.

"_Noooo_, it's your fault, Neji." Said brunet groaned at the voice behind him. While Naruto was acted like a total dense and proud idiot, he was a people pleaser when it came to Sakura. "Saying that the sky is going to throw up is _totally_ normal!"

Sakura turned around in her seat, staring directly at Naruto. "You know, the way you're phrasing things, it sounds like you're insulting me."

Naruto blinked. "…it does?"

"Oi, shut the hell up," Shikamaru lifted his head to look at the two fair-haired teens. "You're disrupting my sleep. Tch…you two are so troublesome…"

Neji narrowed his eyes at them. "Why are you two here anyway?"

Shikamaru paused. Lazily, he gave a rather drunken slur even though he did not know how to drink. "…I dun really know." All he remembered was having a chalk thrown to the middle of his forehead, waking him up in a rude manner. "I think it was 'cause I was sleeping in the middle of class."

"Same." Naruto shrugged.

Sakura stared with an almost uncomprehending look. "We know that. That was a rhetorical question."

"You are disgraces to Reiyoukai…" The four turned to the voice, blinking. At the back of the room, standing and sitting on the window sill, were Gaara and Hinata respectively.

Sakura deadpanned. "And why are you two here?"

"Clones." Hinata gave the short reply.

"You do realize," Gaara continued, "that by getting yourselves into detention, you're not giving a very good impression to the Shinigami, right?"

Hinata merely stared at them with a blank, almost thoughtful, look.

"Duh." Naruto replied with a shrug. "Quit being so uptight, Gaara. Have some fun! We hardly get assigned to this dimension's mortal world, ya know!" He added, leaning back into his seat and folding his arms behind his head.

Gaara gave an irritated look. "Do what you want. If you do anything that will jeopardize this mission, however, I _will_ kill you."

Sakura waved her hand dismissively, not taking his words for real. "Yeah. Sure."

-**x**-

.**:**Author-Comments**:**.

-**x**-

Personally, I wasn't completely satisfied with this chapter… But I didn't know how to fix it without making it sound even more…_awkward_.

The actual chapter was actually more than thirteen thousand words. So I decided to be evil and post it as two chapters. And sorry this chapter came so late. I wasn't satisfied until I read it over and over and over again for mistakes and stuff. Still, I might have missed something. Be a dear and tell me if so, 'kay? ^.^

Next chapter: _Of Departments & Commanders  
_Preview: _"Gaara's gonna kill you." "I'd like to see him try."_

Here's…-pauses and spazzes out- uh, Hinata?

P.S. I just decided to 'screw it' with the height and weight thing, because I can't really be bothered now... Hinata's an inch or so shorter than Sakura in both thirteen and fifteen year old forms, just to say. And by the way, Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, Neji, Gaara and Naruto are disguised as fifteen year olds (using Henge no Jutsu and Genjutsu) in this chapter. Underneath the Henge technique though, they are still in the younger forms (AKA twelve/thirteen/fourteen-years-old). There's actually a reason why they need to use Henge over their natural Reiyoukai shapeshifting ability, instead of simply directly shapeshifting into fifteen-year-olds. Guess?

_Rokukyouku-shirei of Meido-eihei Juunitai, Hyuuga Hinata  
_**CHARACTERISTICS  
**_Name: Hyuuga Hinata  
Race: Reiyoukai (Soul Demon)  
Birthday: December 27 (when she was born as a human), November 5 (when she arrived in Yomi)  
Age: 13 (shapeshifted form), 15 (physically), 317(spirit years), 329 (chronologically)  
Gender: Female  
Blood Type: A  
_**PROFESSIONAL STATUS  
**_Affiliation: Rokukyouku (Sixth Department), Meido-eihei Juunitai (12 Underworld Sentinels), Akumakai (Demon Hell), Yomi (Land of the Underworld)  
Occupation: Rokukyouku-shirekan (Sixth Commander)  
_**ZANPAKUTOU  
**_Shikai: Tsukinowa (Moon Ring OR Ring Around The Moon) (You know, that optical illusion, in which there's a ring of light around the moon?) – Ability: Unknown  
Bankai: NOT REVEALED – Ability: Unknown  
_**BIO:** Hyuuga Hinata is the commander of the sixth department, which specialize in illusions and stealth, and is the head department handling Undercover Operations & Assassination Missions. Having been promoted to a commander a few years after Sakura, she was the last current commander to be promoted. Hinata is introverted and distant towards other people, though is hardly cold or arrogant to others. Being very hard to anger, she was one of the calmest of Reiyoukai, and doesn't lose her head in critical times. She is therefore described as an excellent strategist. Her cousin and half-brother (he was son of the twin brother of her father) is Hyuuga Neji, the Nanakyouku-fukushirei. Her skills primarily focuses on illusionary techniques, one-hit knockout close-combat styles, intellect and stealth techniques, and which gains her the title as a first-rated assassin. Before her promotion, she used to be the third-rank officer of Juukyouku under the command of Uchiha Itachi, and before that she was the fourth-rank officer of the Ichikyouku, with Sakura being her senior by one rank.

* * *

Kyuukyouku - Ninth Department  
Tengu - Tengu are bird-like creatures. Messenger Tengu are Kotengu (small tengu), which are bird-sized Tengu.  
"Ahou!" - Idiot, moron, you know. Shizune always use this word. It can also mean dumbass. ^^  
Daitengu - Great tengu. Daitengu are large enough to ride on and is one of the types of Yomi animal summons. They commonly inhabit the forested parts or mountain areas of Yomi, and usually lead Kotengu.  
"Gomenasai, Haruno-shirei-sama," - "My apologies, Commander Haruno-sama,"  
Tanuki - Raccoon; because Japanese is cooler =D  
Hachikyouku - Eight Department  
"Maataku," - Loosely "Good grief" or "Geez" Similar to "Mou"  
"Hontou ni, Sakura-chan?"- "Really, Sakura-chan?"  
"Nan da tou?" - "What'd you say?" or...something...like that.  
"Ara," - "Oh?"  
"Yamerou" - "Stop"  
"Atashi wa Haruno Sakura desu!" - "I am Haruno Sakura!" Atashi is feminine 'I', while 'desu' is placed behind a sentence in a form of politeness. You know, basic Japanese crap.  
"Yorosuku." - "Pleased to meet you."  
"Maa, maa..." - "Ah, well..."  
"Ikeimasou!" - "Let's go!"  
Juuchikyouku - Eleventh Department  
Godaime Mizukage of Kirigakure - Ugh. Fifth Water Shadow of Hidden Mist

* * *

**:: 20thJUNE2010 :: 10:32AM (GMT+08:00 Singapore Time) :: UPLOAD**

******:: 20thJUNE2010 :: 12:11PM (GMT+08:00 Singapore Time) :: EDIT  
**:: 20thJUNE2010 :: 07:22PM (GMT+08:00 Singapore Time) :: EDIT

_**-**[_**TTL**_]_


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